Brayden is 2 years old...

I can't believe that two years could go by so fast. John & I say all the time that it's hard to remember Brayden as a baby because it's all been blurred by Tyler coming into our lives. But at the same time, I can still see it all as clear as day because being a mommy for the first time doesn't just disappear. It seems like from the day they are born and on, a child is doing something new every day. You'd think it would slow down after they start walking and stuff, but no. You can just SEE Brayden's brain expanding every day. It may be a new word or some new physical skill (like scaling the wall to get to his lamp), but let me just say no day is boring with this kid around. He never ceases to amaze me at the things he figures out and/or remembers. Just today at the doctor's office, he remembered that the toys were in a drawer - not on the shelf. Or yesterday, we sang "Happy Birthday" to him and after that he started singing it himself. Mind you, he's probably only heard the song a handful of times in his entire life!! But my favorite thing that he has started to do in the last month is how he brushes his teeth. I'd been having problems getting him to open his mouth and let me brush his teeth - but he was perfectly willing to chomp down on the brush once it was in there. So one night, out of the blue, I started "singing" the theme to 2001: A Space Odessy (you know - dum, Dum, Dum, DA-DUM! Bum bum, bum bum, bum bum, bum bum). And lo and behold, he opened up. Then the next night - this happened:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v675/ritzbits/?action=view&current=102_4927.flv

Steel trap, I tell ya! The kid can remember anything. But he's got a stubborn streak in him that mirrors mine to no end. He will (most of the time) refuse to say or do things on command unless he wants to. He does not like to be told no, and when told no will see if there is some other way to do said thing without getting caught. He's the classic "toe the line" kind of kid. And I guess I should put his stats in here as well - he's 35" tall (36" if he's laying down - which is how they measured him at the doctor) and 27.5 lbs. We were so excited about his height because at 36", he can ride some of the bigger rides for kids at SDC!!! I can't wait to let him ride a roller coaster!!! Well, anyway - we're heading to Fletcher tomorrow and so I need to go to bed.